Automatic ball pitching machine



Nov. 6, 1951 A. s. MOE

AUTOMATIC BALL PITCHING MACHINE 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 Filed Dec. 25, 1946 5w i m Nov. 6, 1951 A. s. MOE 2,574,408

. AUTOMATIC BALL PITCHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 23, i946 2 SI-lEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Nov. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a ball pitching or projecting device.

An object of this invention is to provide a pitching device for projecting baseballs which is of simple construction and utilizes compressed air as a motive power.

Another object of this invention is to provide a baseball pitching device which includes a gunshaped barrel formed with a compressible nczzle so that a ball may be initially engaged with the nozzle and sealingly held thereby and finally released from the nozzle by means of increased air pressure in the barrel behind the ball.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a pitching device of this kind, an improved and simple valve operator which can be operated either by a foot or hand.

A further object of this invention is to provide a pitching gun of this kind which is of simple construction so that it can be made from strong and sturdy parts, and at the same time may be made as a compact unit.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a ball pitching gun constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view similar to Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line l-4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-5 of Figure 2,

Figure 7 is a sectional View taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 1,

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I designates generally a mounting for the gun barrel and includes a base plate ll, upstanding walls 12 and I3, and a top wall M, the latter being inclined to the vertical and inclined upwardly and forwardly. A stationary gun barrel I is fixedly secured to the top plate l4, being open at its forward end and closed at its rear end by means of a head It. A movable gun barrel I! telescopes slidably into the stationary barrel l5 and the movable barrel I? is substantially greater in length than the stationary barrel 15 so that when the rear portion of the barrel ll is telescoped completely into the stationary barrel l5 a substantial portion of the barrel I! will project from the stationary barrel IS. The movable barrel IT is adapted to be constantly urged rearwardly in telescoping relation relative to the stationarybarrel 55 by spring means such as a pair of parallel springs 18. The springs 3 are disposed below the barrel H with their rear ends secured to the vertical wall It with their front ends secured to a pair of dependent brackets 2| carried by parallel plates 22 dependently fixed to the lower side of barrel l1 forwardly of wall l2.

The barrel H is limited as to its outward movement by means of an elongated rod 23 which is formed at its forward end with an eye 24 extending between the parallel plates 22 and secured thereto by means of a suitable fastening member such as bolt 25. The rod 23 slidably engages through aligned holes formed in the walls I2 and [3 as at 26 and is provided with a stop at the rear end thereof engageable with the outer face of wall 13 when the barrel ll is moved outwardly to the desired limit of extension. In the present instance, the gun barrel, comprising the two gun barrel members I 5 and I1, is adapted to have positioned therein spherical members 28 in the form of baseballs. The diameter of the movable barrel I1 is substantially equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of a baseball so that the ball 28 may freely move lengthwise through the barrel IT. The ball 28 is discharged into the stationary barrel 15 when the movable barrel I! is in its outermost or extended position from a magazine trough 29 carried by an upwardly extending nipple or magazine member 351 which communicates with the stationary barrel l5 forward from the rear head 15 thereof.

The motive force which moves the ball 28 through the movable barrel H is compressed air which is manually controlled so that the discharge of a baseball 28 from the gun may be manually regulated. One end of an air tube 3| is connected as at 32 to the rear head l6 of the stationary barrel 1 5 and a sealing gasket 33 engages about the inner end of the connection 32 and provides a seal whereby the rear end of the movable barrel I1 is sealed when the latter is in its innermost position. The air tube 3| which is connected to a suitable source of air pressure supply has a spring-pressed regulator valve 34 interposed therein. The valve 34 is fixed to the front plate 12 and has an operating lever 35 extending 3 forwardly for selective engagement with a trigger plate 36.

The trigger plate 36 is pivotally mounted on a pivot 31, being disposed between the two plates 22. The trigger member 35 has secured thereto an operating member 01' lever 38 which may be extended to a remote point and operated either by means of a foot or hand.

In order to provide for the holding of the ball 28 within the movable barrel I! until suflicient pressure is present in the barrel l1 and in the barrel I5, I have provided a compressible choke 39 which is clamped by means of a clamping band 40 onto the forward end of the movable barrel H. The choke 39 is constructed in the form of a short tube or sleeve which is clamped at its rear end to the forward end of the barrel I! and has a substantial portion thereof projecting from the barrel ll. A yieldable or spring compressing member 4| engages about the extended portion of the choke 39 and is adapted to normally compress this choke to a point where the ball 28 will be yieldably held against passage therethrough. llhe ends 42 of the spring M are adjustably mounted in a holding or looking member 43 as shown in Figure 8 so that the choke 39 may be yieldably compressed to the desired degree. This choke may be formed out of any suitable flexible material such as rubber, leather or the like.

In the use and operation of this gun, the balls are placed in the magazine o trough 29 and permitted to gravitatingly roll downwardly into the intake nipple 30. The barrel I! is manually pulled forward in the first instance to permit the first ball 28 to drop into the stationary barrel l5, whereupon the barrel ll may be released for in ward movement under the tension of the spring I8. The ball 28 will then engage within the rear end of the barrel H and confront the inner end of the nozzle or mounting 32 for the air pressure tube 3|. The trigger 36 is preferably rocked slightly to provide for contact of the trigger 36 with the valve lever 35 to permit a small quantity of air under pressure to enter the movable tube or barrel ll. This air pressure will force the ball 28 forwardly for frictional engagement with the choke 39.

When the barrel i1 is in its innermost position, this barrel will close the intake opening 44 of the stationary barrel so that the air pressure will not leak from the barrel l'l. When the ball 28 is gripped in the choke 39, trigger 36 is then rocked an additional distance permitting full air pressure to enter the barrel I1 and this pressure will force the barrel H to move outwardly and at the same time the ball 28 gripped in the choke 39 will beejected. Spring l8 will return the movable barrel H to its innermost position and at this time the succeeding ball 28 in the magazine will have dropped into the stationary barrel l5 so that the second ball will be in a position for ejection upon the succeeding operation of the trigger 36.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A ball pitching machine comprising a stationary barrel, a spring-pressed movable barrel slidable in said stationary barrel, a ball magazine 4 at the rear end of said stationary barrel, said sliding barrel closing said magazine in its rearmost position, valved pressure means connected to said stationary barrel for ejecting a ball from within said movable barrel, and a yieldable choke means on the outer end of said sliding barrel for resilient engagement with a ball to be ejected, said choke means including a yieldable tube fixed on the outer end of said sliding barrel and a resilient member encircling said tube and adapted to contract the opening therethrough, the passage of a ball through said choke means effecting sliding of said movable barrel past said magazine to permit another ball to be deposited therein.

2. A ball pitching machine comprising a fixed barrel, a ball magazine on said barrel opening thereinto, an inner spring-pressed barrel slidable in said fixed barrel to close the opening between said magazine and said fixed barrel, air pressure means opening into said slidable barrel for ejecting a ball therefrom, and a resilient choke member on said sliding barrel engaging a ball being ejected for moving said sliding barrel forwardly permitting another ball to be passed from the magazine into the fixed barrel, said choke means including a yieldable tubular member extending from the outer end of said sliding barrel and a, resilient member encircling said tubular member intermediate the length thereof and adapted to contract the opening therethrough.

3. In a ball pitching machine having a fixed barrel, an inner barrel slidable in said fixed barrel, and means for projecting a ball from said inner barrel, a ball magazin opening into said inner barrel, said inner barrel having a retractible end for closing said magazine in the retracted position of said inner barrel, and means carried by said sliding barrel engaging a ball being projected for extending said sliding barrel to magazine opening position thereby permitting another ball to enter said fixed barrel, said means including a yieldable tubular member engaging over the outer end of said inner barrel, a split resilient member disposed about said tubular member intermediate the length thereof and adapted to constrict the opening therethrough, and an adjustable connecting block interposed between the opposite ends of said split resilient member for varying the tension therein.

4. In a ball pitching machine having a fixed barrel, a sliding barrel in said fixed barrel and means for projecting a ball from said sliding barrel, a choke member on the outer end of said sliding barrel for restricting the passage of a ball therethrough, said choke member comprising a resilient tubular body having a restricted ball passage therethrough and adjustable resilient means encircling said body for varying the restricted passage therein.

ANDREW S. MOE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 461,224 Stanly Oct. 13, 1891 1,065,556 Searle June 24, 1913 2,182,369 Barron Dec. 5, 1939 

